Deputy Secretary, Climate Change Group

September 16, 2024

Australian Government - Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

Canberra

Senior Executive Service Band 3
Climate Change Group
Canberra, ACT

Who we are
We are the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. We are driving climate action; transforming our energy system; establishing Australia as a renewable energy superpower; conserving, protecting and sustainably managing our environment and water resources through a nature positive approach; and protecting and conserving our natural and cultural heritage. Our vision is an Australia that is prosperous because it is sustainable, with community and Country at the heart of our actions.

The Group
The Climate Change Group is responsible for driving climate action and helping establish Australia as a renewable energy superpower. The Group manages and delivers policies and programs to help transition Australia’s economy to net zero emissions by 2050 and to promote adaptation and strengthen the resilience of Australia’s economy, society and environment, and takes a leadership role internationally in responding to climate change, including by participating in United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COPs).

As a Deputy Secretary, you will have a strong focus on results, be adept at solving complex issues and have proven experience in building organisational capability through pragmatic thought leadership. You will be a forward thinker who is self-motivated, resilient and adept at building relationships in a large, complex and fast-paced environment. You will champion the strategic direction of the department and lead complex, high profile work that achieves strategic priorities and objectives.

The job
As an experienced senior executive, you will possess excellent stakeholder engagement capability with the capacity to work across Government. You will provide outstanding leadership and act as an advocate for change to your Group and the department more broadly, ensuring outputs are delivered efficiently and effectively.

As Deputy Secretary, you will have:

Deep knowledge and understanding of Australia’s domestic climate change policy, low emissions technology and international engagement on climate policies.
Proven ability to build strong working relationships with Ministers and senior stakeholders, and capacity to perform effectively as a principal government representative to negotiate proactively and sensitively to resolve complex matters.
Exceptional leadership, people management and governance skills including an understanding of risk and innovative approaches to policy and program delivery.
Ability to drive departmental initiatives in a timely and effective manner.

What we are looking for
To be successful in the Deputy Secretary role, you are expected to adhere to the Secretaries’ Charter of Leadership Behaviours (DRIVE) and will have:

Demonstrated experience working with senior executives, Ministers, Secretaries and their offices to implement priorities.
Demonstrated experience in achieving policy outcomes in a complex stakeholder and regulatory environment;
Proven leadership capability working with teams and senior executives in a high-profile, complex and fast-paced environment;
Demonstrated experience in considering emerging trends, identifying long-term opportunities while balancing organisational requirements with desired Whole-of-Government outcomes;
Demonstrated experience in contributing to and implementing strategic initiatives at an enterprise level; and
Highly developed political acumen and demonstrated experience in managing and influencing diverse stakeholders.
We encourage applications from diverse backgrounds and experiences. We strongly believe that diversity of experience, perspectives and background will lead to a better environment for our employees and better outcomes for Australia.

Desirable qualifications
Tertiary qualification(s) in a relevant field specific to this role are desirable.

Eligibility and other requirements
Citizenship - To be eligible for employment with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water you must be an Australian citizen.

Security Clearance - This position requires a Negative Vetting Level 2 security clearance. You will be required to obtain and maintain a clearance at this level.

For additional information, please read the Job Description below.
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We regret to inform you that this job opportunity is no longer available